Fools Rushed In
by Batasyl
Summary: From rivals...to marriage...to family? The moment serious lawyer Riley Matthews met Pro-Baseball player Lucas Friar, she knew he'll be trouble. Riley wants nothing to do with Lucas but until her best friend says I do she's stuck and what ever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Or does it?
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello, hello lovely readers. I want to thank everyone who had read and reviewed My Boys and Let Me In. To answer some of the comments, I'm not really sure if I would write a continuation to both My Boys and Wanted: Everyday Mommy although I'm not ruling it out. Having said that, I give you another short story and hopefully you guys will like it._**

 ** _I like writing stories but I'm running out of ideas so if you guys have any that you would like to read about please let me know._**

 ** _Enjoy reading :)_**

 _xxxxxxxxx_

Riley Matthews shifted sleepily on the large, comfortable bed, the bare skin of her shoulders sliding across the rich satin fabric beneath her. Having apparently survived her best friend and honorary sister's bachelorette party in Vegas, Riley wanted nothing more than to drift back into dreamland, and would have, if not for the fact she had a raging headache pounding at her temples, and an equally awful taste in her mouth.

She wondered what the bartender had put in the cosmopolitans he had been serving her. After all, she'd paid him extra to make sure her beverages were—unlike those for the members of Maya's betrothed sister's entourage—strictly nonalcoholic. This, in order to make sure she didn't lose all inhibition and do anything foolish, as she had been known to do in the past at these types of events.

Riley groaned and opened her eyes. Saw she had fallen asleep on top of the covers still wearing a pair of sparkly stiletto–heeled shoes she didn't recognize, and that there was a strong _male_ arm clamped just beneath her breasts.

Startled, Riley blinked to clear her head, and blinked again. What…in the…world…? Had she been drinking last night? Because, honestly, that was the only way to explain any of this!

Still trying to get her bearings, Riley pushed herself to a sitting position, stared at what she saw. Tousled dark–blonde hair, equally stunned emerald eyes and an incredibly handsome, oh–so–familiar face that she dreaded seeing, covered with a two–day stubble of beard.

 **…**

Despite the fact that he and the groom had been friends since childhood, Lucas Friar knew it had been a mistake to agree to be Zay Babineaux's best man. Mostly because Lucas' antagonist, Riley Matthews, was the maid of honor. Physically, Lucas and Riley had enough sparks to light up the entire Empire State building, but none of the natural compatibility needed to get along. Like oil and water, the two of them would never mix. Although Lucas admitted privately to himself that he did enjoy getting under the pretty attorney's skin. Had she not been so uptight… But she was. And he'd had far too many rules growing up to want to pepper his adulthood with any more. These days, he and he alone decided what was right for him, and in what manner he wanted to live.

As if to prove that point, Riley's delicate hand closed over his wrist—which was still clamped against her slender form.

"You!" she hissed, flinging his arm away, like some odious piece of trash. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Good question, Lucas thought, rolling over onto his back and taking a lazy look around. They were in a hotel room, all right. Together. For what had apparently been the rest of the night. The larger question was, what were they doing in such over–the–top attire—even if they were in Las Vegas. He had on a shiny silver shirt and white–and–black tuxedo worthy of Elvis Presley. She was wearing a plunging halter dress, with a sequined bodice and white organza skirt, hiked up around her thighs. Which were, Lucas noted, more spectacularly sleek and lissome than he had ever guessed. She was also wearing some sort of rhinestone–studded tiara with a short organza veil.

"Explain to me what you are doing here!" Riley demanded.

Trying not to get distracted by how beautiful the disheveled brunette looked in the sunlight pouring in through the windows, Lucas glanced at the hand she was waving indignantly in front of him, the plain gold band encircling her ring finger.

Lucas fought the sinking feeling in his gut, and a hazy memory of an emotional albeit slightly tipsy exchange with Riley, followed by a dare, and a trip to the Las Vegas marriage bureau. Which, unfortunately for the two of them, stayed open till midnight, daily.

He dimly recalled more taunting, the purchase of a marriage license, and then with Maya trying desperately to derail the very bad idea while Zay goaded them on, a trip—with the entire wedding party—to one of the brightly lit wedding chapels on the Strip…

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Riley demanded, even more outraged.

Lucas remembered selecting an Elvis and the Showgirl–themed wedding, never dreaming a straitlaced woman like Riley would follow through on the wild idea—even to win a bet. And then, there were wedding vows being said, but not by Zay and Maya, but by…oh, hell…no…

Lucas tore his gaze from the color streaming into Riley's cheeks and looked down at his own left hand. In squaring with his fuzzy memories, there was a band there, too, identical to hers. Rather than try to explain, he lifted it for her to see. "Just this," he commented drily, leaving her to fill in the rest just as he had.

Riley tossed her head indignantly. "If this is a joke—" she speared him with her chocolate eyes, apparently not recalling anything yet "—I am not laughing."

Nor was he. His heart thundering, Lucas sat up, too. He shoved both his hands through his hair, hardly able to believe he had done what he swore he never would. And actually followed in the impulsive footsteps of his oft–married, even more frequently divorced, older siblings.

"You _do_ know what happened!" Riley said.

"It's beginning to come back to me," Lucas admitted gruffly. Although the memory was still fuzzy. And yet oddly romantic in a romantic comedy kind of way.

Riley leaped from the bed. Arms folded militantly in front of her, she paced back and forth, her hips sashaying sexily beneath the full organza skirt. "I can't wait to hear!"

Lucas tore his eyes from the sumptuous breasts spilling out of the narrowly cut top of her dress, and recollected, "It was after the bachelor party, when we met up with the bachelorettes in the bar next to the casino. Talk turned to marriage and you bet I'd never say 'I do.'"

Riley paused, and wet her lips. Already, Lucas noted, the story sounded plausible to her. Probably because she had been ragging on him about that since the two of them had first met a year before.

He shrugged and continued. "I said, 'Sure I would. You're the one who doesn't have the guts to tie the knot.'"

Riley paled, apparently recalling now, too. "And that's when I took you up on the dare and we all went to the county clerk's office for a license, then to the chapel on the Strip…"

Lucas tensed as it all became more and more real. "I kept thinking you'd back out."

Riley sent him an accusing glare. "I kept thinking _you_ would."

Lucas groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. Unfortunately, neither of them had. "So we got married to the stunned amazement of everyone else in the wedding party, and the continual railing of Maya. And had a glass or two of champagne."

"And that's the last thing I remember," Riley whispered, her hand pressed to her soft, trembling lips.

Lucas only wished that were the case with him. Although not completely sober himself after an evening out carousing with the guys, he had known Riley was tipsy from the get–go. He'd even heard the other bridesmaids giggling about tipping the bartender extra to put liquor in her drinks after all, because they all knew the ever–uptight Riley had a tendency to say and do surprisingly unexpected and/or hilarious things when under the influence of even one drink. And they'd wanted to see if they could get her to loosen up, and liven things up.

Loosen up, she had.

Although, Lucas admitted, his gaze drifting longingly over her feminine curves, not as much as he wished she would. The kiss they had shared at the conclusion of the ceremony had been close–mouthed and hopelessly chaste.

Once back at the hotel, they'd fallen exhausted onto the bed, too tired to think about the import of what they had done, and apparently fallen fast asleep. Which was a good thing, Lucas noted. Otherwise he might have been tempted to consummate the marriage. Since they hadn't…

Pale, shaking, Riley moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

Although the know–it–all had a habit of getting under his skin as thoroughly as he got under hers, Lucas abruptly felt sorry for her. He reached over and covered her small, delicate hand with his. "Look. We were out of our minds."

Riley stiffened and withdrew her palm. "Clearly."

"We don't have to get divorced. We'll just get it annulled. You're a lawyer. You know how to do that. Right?"

"Of course I—" The ring tone sounded on his cell. Riley frowned as the familiar melody of "Only the Young" filled the room.

Lucas knew the polite thing would have been to let the call go to voice mail. And he would have, had the caller ID not flashed the name of John Wilson.

"Well?" Riley said, torturous moments later, when Lucas ended the call.

Lucas exhaled and admitted grimly, "That's Wilson. He knows. Everyone does."

Riley studied Lucas, aghast. "How?"

"A tabloid reporter was tailing the bachelor party, hoping to dig up some dirt." Which would have been news since the bridegroom and his entourage plays for the Yankees. "She couldn't find anything on Zay, so she wrote the story on us instead. Apparently it's already on the Internet."

Riley's shoulders slumped in defeat. "What are we going to do?"

"The only thing we can do," Lucas said flatly. "Stay married and ride out the storm."

Riley stared at Lucas, sure now he had completely lost his mind, as well as any sense of gallantry he might have possessed. "That is without a doubt the nuttiest idea I have ever heard," she announced heatedly.

Looking sexier and more determined than ever, Lucas whipped off the ridiculous jacket and bow tie. "But the only sensible solution nonetheless," he countered.

Riley lifted her chin and propped her hands on her hips. "And how do you figure that?"

Lucas undid the first two buttons on his shirt. "John Wilson, my manager, does not suffer irresponsible fools. And given what we did last night, we definitely fall into that category."

Wishing Lucas weren't right about that, Riley bit her lip, thinking.

Lucas continued, more grimly than ever. "If we want to hang on to our jobs—and I certainly do, since I'm in line for the MVP slot—you and I are going to have to slide through. At least for a little while."

"Slide through?" Riley repeated, stalking back over to the bed. She sat down in a whoosh of organza.

Lucas sat down beside her. "You know what I mean."

Riley looked at the rock–solid musculature of his thigh, next to hers. She was five feet seven inches tall and fit, but next to his broad–shouldered six–foot–three frame, she always felt impossibly feminine and delicate.

Lucas squeezed her hand. "We can do this," he reassured. And that was when the knock sounded on the hotel room door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hand tingling, Riley disengaged their palms and got up to answer it.

Maya stood on the other side of the portal. "There you are!" the petite blonde stormed. She rushed in, "I've been looking for you all morning!"

"What time is it?" Riley asked.

"Ten o'clock!"

So they'd been in the hotel room for, what…six hours, maybe, at most? Six hours spent sleeping next to Lucas…

Oblivious to the wistful nature of Riley's thoughts, Maya stormed closer. "I can't believe you actually did it! I know I've been bugging you to let loose but not like this!" Maya continued her tirade. "I'm getting married in two weeks! This is my week! Not yours! Matthews is going to kill us!"

Lucas stepped in, wrapped his arm around Riley and drew her back into his protective embrace. "Trust me," Lucas told Maya, "we weren't thinking of you and Zay at all last night."

Maya looked at both of them, shocked and dismayed. "You can't tell me you're going to continue on with this joke!"

For once, Riley allowed herself to react just as emotionally as Maya.

"Yes," Riley retorted, "I am."

 **…**

"Are you okay?" Lucas asked Riley, after Maya had left.

Riley nodded.

"You don't look okay." Lucas took her in his arms once again. "You're shaking."

His arms were so warm and strong! Too warm. Wary where this might be leading, Riley tilted her head back. "Lucas, I—"

His head lowered, their lips met and the kiss was everything their first hadn't been. Passionate, hot and demanding. Soulful and yearning. Sweet and tender. Without volition, she found her lips parting. Their tongues tangled and Riley drank in the masculine taste of him. He was all she had ever dreamed a man could be. He challenged her, even as he protected, making her feel so very alive. Which was why, she figured, as his body hardened next to hers, that he had the good sense to end the spontaneous embrace.

 **…**

Lucas knew he shouldn't have kissed Riley again. It would have been better to leave them both with the fuzzy memory of that brief, unsatisfying post–nuptial embrace. Now he knew what it could be between the two of them. Now he had proof that his gut feeling, that the two of them would be hot as a firecracker together, was proven, without a shadow of a doubt. And with the wedding rings on their fingers…

He dropped his hands, stepped back. "We have to keep this marriage in name only," he ordered gruffly.

"Absolutely," Riley agreed.

"Otherwise it's going to get way too complicated."

Riley's face flushed a becoming pink. She stepped back, too. Held up a hand. "I agree. No more kissing, Lucas. No touching, either."

He nodded. "Except for what we absolutely have to do to make this look like the real thing."

Riley swore. Probably, Lucas thought, imagining how difficult the next few days and weeks, maybe even months, were going to be. "How long do you think we have to—" she swallowed, looking abruptly agitated "—um, pretend?"

Lucas shrugged. "A year ought to do it," he said.

 **…**

A year, Riley thought to herself, as she went back to her own hotel room, and showered and changed. A year of being married to Lucas, and yet never having been engaged. A year of having him take her hand or put his arm around her at appropriate times. A year of putting a smile on her face and sharing space… How in the world _were_ they going to manage that? Riley wondered.

Lucas had changed their seat assignments on the flight back to New York so they would be sitting together, away from the rest of the wedding party. Consequently, they were tucked into a cramped two–person row in the very back of the jumbo jet. The seats were so small there was no way they could not be touching. But at least, Riley thought, trying desperately to ignore the warmth and strength of Lucas' tall body, at least they were away from the prying eyes, and the attentions the pro–baseball–player groomsmen, were getting.

"I can't believe I'm entering Maya's world," Riley murmured to herself. Especially when she had fought so hard to keep it real.

"What are you talking about?" Lucas asked, shifting yet again, his leg brushing against hers.

In deference to the sizzling summer heat, Riley was dressed in a cotton sheath–dress. Lucas had worn shorts and a v-neck shirt for the flight back to New York. Their calves were bare. And kept rubbing up against each other. Another disconcerting sensation she was going to have to become immune to, if she were to survive the "mistake" they'd made.

"Whenever Maya is around Zay, she acts so fake." So unlike the person Riley knew Maya to be, deep down, when no one else was around.

"You're saying you're going to be disingenuous, too?"

Riley sighed, feeling even more upset. "We both are. Always pretending to be something we're not. Which is happily married!"

"Not necessarily," Lucas corrected.

Riley turned to look at him.

He gazed deep into her eyes. "I know this wasn't what we planned. Or would have ever wanted. But as long as we're stuck together, can't we at least be friends?"

 **…**

Good question, Riley thought, as the jet took off, and she and Lucas both closed their eyes. She sensed he wasn't any more asleep than she was. But they both needed a break.

Marriage was stressful.

And what looked to be even more painful was telling her parents what she had done.

As it turned out, Riley did not have to do that. Maya had done it for her, and their parents were waiting at the airport baggage claim.

When Riley saw them, she slowed her steps.

Riley turned to Lucas. "Let's get out of here while this blows over." They could claim their bags later.

Maya rushed forward and burst into public, noisy tears, while her pro–baseball–player fiancé stood uncomfortably at her side. The scene caused more than one person awaiting their luggage to turn and gawk. As the celebrities were noticed, cell phone cameras began to go off.

Riley grimaced again. She appreciate Maya trying to soften the blow of her wild night in Vegas to her parents but she doesn't need Maya to amp up the drama even more, in order to keep all the attention solely focused on her and Zay.

To her frustration, Lucas remained planted firmly where he was. Which gave Maya enough time to lead her parents over to Riley.

"Tell me it's not true," Riley's mom murmured.

Lucas wrapped his arm around Riley's shoulders, as more cameras went off, and Maya cried crocodile tears. Rather than apologize, he looked proud to be standing firmly behind what they had done. "Riley and I got married in Vegas," Lucas told her folks.

And that was that.

 **…**

Lucas had been right. Within hours of the marriage, photos were everywhere, on and off the Internet. In the newspapers and the tabloids. The story of Riley and Lucas upstaging Maya and Zay had even made a magazine Web site. And it was no surprise that John Wilson summoned Lucas along with Riley to his office for a meeting, early Monday morning.

"Welcome back. Please accept my _personal_ congratulations." Wilson looked them both squarely in the eye.

Unable to help herself, Riley flushed. Lucas, on the other hand, looked cool as a cucumber, which was what she got, she told herself grimly, for marrying someone who's a _public figure._

"My voice mail is clogged with requests for interviews," Wilson continued grimly.

Wilson's personal secretary appeared in the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt. Jennifer Graham from Sport's Illustration is at the reception desk, asking to see Lucas."

Lucas squeezed Riley's hand.

Wilson's brow lifted in silent inquiry.

Riley gestured inanely, feeling even more embarrassed. "Go ahead…I'll wait for you here…"

"I think it's a good idea to do this interview with both of you present." Wilson suggested.

"Heavens, no!" Riley replied, before she could stop herself.

"Riles, it's fine. We don't need to do any interviews yet," Lucas declared.

Riley pivoted toward her "husband." "But they won't stop asking unless you do. I don't mind you doing it, I'm just not comfortable being there with you."

Wilson paused. "It will be a short interview. Give them an idea how you two ended up getting married last weekend," he mused out loud.

"That's something Riley and I would like to keep personal. In any case, we are married," Lucas explained.

Wilson's preoccupied look faded. "So this is serious, then?"

His boss's expression gave no clue as to what he was thinking, but his past behavior indicated it had better be. Wilson had been married to the love of his life for over thirty years. That's a lifetime especially for professional athletes. Wilson is as serious and strict when it comes to family as he is about managing the Yankees.

"Serious as a heartbeat," Lucas said, still holding Riley's hand.

"I wasn't aware you were even seeing someone," Wilson continued.

"Every day," Riley replied. _Unfortunately,_ since Maya and Zay got engaged three months ago. Try as she might, she had not been able to avoid Lucas, and since they are both so close to the bride and groom, they often saw each other on weekends, too.

She and Lucas just hadn't _dated._

Wilson nodded, taking that in. He circled around his desk. "Where are the two of you going to be living?"

Riley jumped in once again. "That's still up for discussion."

"For now," Lucas added, giving her hand another stay–with–me squeeze, "we're going to be using both apartments."

"We'll shuttle back and forth as needed," Riley said honestly. _And only as needed._ If she could get away with continuing to live alone, as she more or less had last night, she would do so.

 **…**

"Do you think Wilson bought it?" Lucas asked Riley, as they took the elevator down to the reception desk.

Riley swallowed. "Not sure."

"Me, neither." Lucas fell silent. "If Wilson thinks I'm putting one over on him—"

"That this is some con—"

"We're both in the ditch here. As far as our careers go."

"I know."

"Like it or not, we're going to have to start living together," Lucas said.

Riley made a face. She did not need more intimacy with Lucas when the little they'd experienced so far had thrown her emotions into turmoil.

The elevator doors opened and Riley stepped out first.

Lucas stared at his wife. She has long, thick wavy brown hair that he wanted to touch. Her clothes, her cleavage (none shown!) were all in style and up-to-date. And she gives him conservative smiles, the kind that said she'd never lied, cheated, or double-dealed to get anyone out of jail. Ever.

"You coming?' The conservative smile vanished. In its place was a look he'd seen too often on rookies lining up to bat against a veteran pitcher, trying too hard to look confident.

He was in trouble! Big trouble.

 **…**

Lucas drove Riley to work after their meeting with John Wilson.

She was just opening her office door when her phone rang.

"Tell me that the media got the names mixed up and it was Maya that got married last Saturday and not you," said the very familiar voice of her friend Farkle over the phone.

"I can't." Riley replied.

"Are you okay?" Farkle asked softly.

Without warning, tears blurred Riley's eyes. She fumbled through the stack of messages on her desk, wishing people would stop asking her that.

"I know how much you had your heart set on finding your own Mr. Right," Farkle continued kindly. "And I can't help but think…"

"I rushed into this marriage with Lucas?"

Farkle released a frustrated breath. "Doesn't matter what I think. I should have cancelled my meeting and went with you guys. I shouldn't have left you alone with Maya."

"Believe it or not, this is entirely my fault," Riley muttered under her breath, still hardly able to believe she had done such a thing as elope with Lucas Friar!

"It's not too late to undo it, if it isn't right." Farkle stated.

As an attorney, Riley knew that. As a woman caught between her disgruntled family and her need to keep climbing the ladder of success at work…she still agreed with Lucas…and felt she had only one option. "I'm determined to make this marriage work," Riley said. _For better or worse._

Farkle paused thoughtfully. "Even if you don't love him?"

Farkle's comment stayed with Riley the rest of the day. She was still thinking about it at 5:00 p.m. when one of her coworkers stuck her head in her office. "You're needed in the meeting room, pronto."

"For what?" Riley asked with a frown, aware she hadn't gotten anywhere near the work completed that she should have that day.

Too late, her colleague was gone. With a sigh, Riley got up and walked down the hall. The offices were oddly silent. Riley turned the corner.

"Surprise!" everyone yelled.

Lucas stepped forward, a welcoming smile on his face. "Isn't it great?" He enfolded Riley in his arms and kissed her cheek. "They got us a cake and everything!"

Two glasses and many toasts of champagne later, the impromptu party came to an end. Lucas and Riley stood at the door like the real couple they weren't, and thanked everyone for organizing and coming to the congratulatory party. Finally, the two of them were alone with what remained of the wedding cake.

Riley looked at Lucas. Lucas looked at Riley. "I feel like a fraud," she whispered.

"Why?" he teased. "Because you don't really like butter cream frosting?"

"Because…we're not…"

He lowered his lips to hers. "We are."

Lucas hadn't meant to kiss Riley again. And certainly not in her office. The wistful look in her eyes prompted him to do otherwise. He knew Riley. Always thinking what lay on the other side of tomorrow was going to be so much better. Never really appreciating today…

Her hands splayed across his chest.

"Lucas," she whispered, still kissing him back.

He threaded both hands through her hair. "For once," he murmured, surprised by how much he needed her, needed this, "let's live in the moment. And take this for what it is." He tilted her face up to his.

"And that is…?" Riley searched his eyes.

His hand on her spine, Lucas guided her closer yet. "A chance to find out what kind of chemistry the two of us really have."

That, Riley thought, was easy. Together, like this, the two of them were completely compatible. In fact, if she kissed him much longer, she knew she really would burst into flames.

Which was why she shoved at his chest again, forced them apart, then stood there, looking up at him, breathing hard. She wanted him. So much.

But she knew the worst thing she could do, for either of them, was to make love to him without being _in_ love with him. "I'm not going to settle for anything less than what I deserve," she told him, smarting at the realization of how easily she could have let herself be completely utterly vulnerable to him. "And if you're smart, you won't, either."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Riley managed to avoid court, her family and the media until Friday. News of their marriage had made all the major news outlets. Lucas was milking it for all it was worth, as if the more headlines he made, the more likely John Wilson would be to believe him. Riley had taken the opposite approach. She didn't answer her phone, not even when her boss called from the Bahamas to congratulate her. All emails and texts from her family were answered with: _Swamped. Sorry. All will be explained on Saturday._

All wouldn't be explained. She was going to lie to them. To her mom and dad. And the more she thought about it, the more anxious she got.

On Friday, Lucas picked Riley in front of her apartment building. They'd be driving to Philadelphia. Her parents insisted that the entire Matthews family meet Lucas.

After stowing her bag in the trunk, Riley slid into the passenger seat and noticed the two bouquets of flowers in the back.

"One for your mom and one for your grandmother."

 _That was sweet._

"That was slick," she said instead, annoyed that she'd had to hide for four days and then had to deal with nearly deadlocked traffic for more than three hours.

"I'm just trying to help, honey."

"Don't call me that."

"Sweetie?"

"Not that either."

"Darling?"

She chose to ignore his attempts at marital humor. "We just need to get through two days without any more lies." Impossible. She didn't even like the man. How was she going to convince her family she loved him? "There's still time to confess."

"Why would you do that when we've only got three hundred sixty more days to go?"

"Because I'll be lying to my parents, while you'll be lying to strangers." Something he seemed adept at doing. "What did you tell your parents?"

"That I'm married."

"Can you please be serious."

"I am serious. I told my parents that I did get married last weekend." He stared out the window. "My mother told me that she and my dad are happy for me but it will be beneficial to my health if I bring you over to get formally introduced to the family. I promised my mom that once the media circus died down, you and I will schedule a visit."

"Is that even a good idea?"

"Yes," he said impatiently.

"But that's going to make things complicated. How are we going to get a quick divorce now?"

"We aren't." There was something in his tone she couldn't quite decipher, a hardness she couldn't trace to its root.

His words shouldn't have rocked her so badly. They'd gone into this knowing that their marriage is temporary, albeit it being a legal transaction, but she hadn't considered how the deal was going to be executed on her own personal playing field.

Riley could have a pity party later. Right now, she had to play out the ruse. "We got lucky. My Aunt Morgan is expecting any day, so they aren't coming up. But we'll still have to face my parents, my brother Auggie, grandparents and uncles."

"Are they baseball fans?"

"Yes. But don't think you can charm them with your celebrity status." It was hard to keep the sarcasm from her voice, because it was clear that's the tact Lucas planned on taking. "You make it very easy to hate you." Very, very easy.

"I know," Lucas said before pulling over.

"Why are we stopping? Are you car sick?"

"No." He'd turned in his seat and stared at her. And then he drew something from his pocket. "I got you a ring." A princess cut boulder set in platinum. Five carats, easy.

"You carried that in your pocket? Without a box or a security guard or—"

His smile was different than she'd seen before. Relaxed, more authentic. Friendly. "I have deep pockets."

"Clearly." Riley didn't want to think about how much it cost. "I can't wear it. It's humongous. The weight would drag my knuckles to the ground."

Lucas ignored her objections and slipped it on her finger.

Riley couldn't look away. She tried, too. She tried turning her head, but her eyes were glued to a rock the size of an eraser on her finger. "When we get to the house, you're going to duct tape it to my finger."

"Relax. It's insured." He wore a ring, too. Platinum with channel-set diamonds.

In some small corner of her brain, a little voice whispered the ring was a sweeter gesture than the flowers for her mom. It would please her mother and legitimize things with her father.

The larger, lawyerly part of her brain spoke with more volume. It said its size was corresponding to Lucas' guilt and that she should keep the ring after this was over to account for emotional damages.

"When this is over, I'm giving this back to you," Riley said firmly. She didn't want anything to tie herself to him.

"Wait," Lucas said. "They're going to expect us to be newlyweds. And newlyweds can't keep their hands off each other."

Riley forgot about big rings and stared at his big hands.

"I think we need a practice kiss." He said the words as normally as if he'd asked for mustard with his turkey sandwich.

"No. You can give me polite pecks on the cheek in deference to my parents."

He covered her hand with his. "I don't want you to flinch when I touch you."

She wanted to say, _"Then don't touch me."_ But that small corner of her brain whispered about innocent kisses and sweetness.

Lucas flipped her hand over and laced their fingers together. "Look. We fit. Kissing won't be horrible."

They didn't fit. He is popular, egotistical and media driven. Whereas she…she had always believed in justice for all. She'd crossed the line somewhere and she wasn't sure she could fly her white justice cape anymore.

He leaned across the center console and kissed the corner of her mouth. Her heart pounded so hard, her ears buzzed.

He gave her a tender smile. "Don't think for a minute." He pressed his lips over hers, stealing her breath. "That's right," he coaxed. "Relax."

And then he drew her closer and deepened the kiss.

When he drew back, Riley was trembling inside. Maybe not just inside. Her hands were shaking. She rubbed them across her thighs. "I don't think we'll have a problem convincing them there's a fire between us." She just had to figure out how to play act with fire and not get burned.

 **…**

"I can't do this." Riley collapsed on the full-size bed as soon as she reached the bedroom.

"Having regrets?" Lucas sat in the chair by the door. He stared at her with the intensity he used when studying defensive plays.

It rattled her, that stare. It made her think of that kiss in the car. "It's not right."

"I like to think it was a creative alternative to unemployment, which sounds like another way to say it's right for me." He picked up a photo of her family in front of a Christmas tree. "You're very close to your family aren't you?"

"Yes I am. The next time you marry you should really do a background check before you choose a bride."

"There won't be a next time." He picked up a different photo. This one of she, Auggie and Uncle Josh.

"What's with the constant talk about Maya?"

"Maya's been my best friend since I was five. It's just her and her mom."

"So?"

"So my family sort of adopted them and became very protective of Maya because her father's not around. Maya is the opposite of me. She's always been very outgoing and her paintings are starting to garner attention. She considers it a personal triumph. The pressure to succeed is intense in this family." Understatement of the season.

He raised a brow. "I consider you a success." He took her hand, the one with the supersize wedding ring. "To me you are one beautiful and successful woman Riley Matthew- Friar."

"Thanks for saying that. Logically I know that I shouldn't be competing with Maya nor do I have to but sometimes she gets on my nerves. Anyways, let's not talk about that. It's been a long day and week."

Lucas gave her the polished smile, the one he used as a pro-athlete. And then he tested the box springs with a couple tentative pushes. "A full-size bed? I'm going to crowd you."

She sat bolt upright. "You're going to sleep on the floor, big man."

"But..." He frowned. "I'll get a kink in my back. I have a game in a few days."

"Floor." She pointed as regally as any queen. "Or we're getting a divorce."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank for the nice reviews and comments. I'm very happy to read that you are enjoying this story.**

 _Peaceandrucas:_ Thank you for the story idea and I'm happy to say that I have started writing the story and I will post the story very soon. Again, thank you.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxx_**

 **Chapter 4**

Lucas met Riley at the door of his apartment Tuesday evening. "What?" he teased, giving her the sensual once–over, as he ushered her in. "No toilet–paper tiara and veil?"

Riley scoffed in amusement. "Your idea of what goes on at a bridal shower is _sadly_ out of date."

That quickly, he got with the program and peered at her closely. "You don't _look_ like you've had mojitas."

"Only because my mother was the one throwing the party. She used to think my avoidance of alcohol was a silly thing. After my marriage to you…she's changed her mind. She wants me stone–cold sober at all times. _Especially_ when she knows I'm going home to you."

"She doesn't…"

"Know our marriage is only a platonic arrangement? No." Riley sighed. "If I told her that, she'd really freak out. As it is, she and Dad are still trying to get used to the idea."

"What about Maya?"

"Believe it or not, she's actually grateful to us for getting hitched."

Lucas' glance turned speculative.

"She said our elopement ended up drawing much more attention to her wedding this weekend than would have happened otherwise. She and Zay have had tons of press coverage and she in particular is getting lots and lots of sympathy, so that makes up for me temporarily stealing the spotlight from her."

"Has it always been this way?" Lucas asked.

Not sure she wanted to discuss what had become, for her, a major disappointment in her life, Riley shrugged. "You have to understand. Maya's always been prettier and way talented—"

"Not in my estimation," Lucas interrupted. Gently he took her face in his hand. "Real beauty comes from within. And in that regard, she can't hold a candle to you."

Riley thrilled at the compliment but the years of feeling second–best made it hard to accept. She shrugged. "You don't know me."

 _Don't I?_ his look said. Lucas dropped his hand. "I know that you volunteer at church and organizes all the charity drives they have had for years now."

Riley moved away. "I have the contacts."

Lucas followed. "The one who makes sure that everyone who is sick or going through any sort of personal or family challenge gets a card and flowers and whatever other help is needed."

Riley swung around to face him. "I have the time."

Lucas shook his head, firmly discounting her self–effacing attitude. They both knew, as a corporate lawyer, time was one thing she _didn't_ have to spare. "You have the heart." He took her into his arms. "And heart is what's needed most of all."

 **…**

Riley hadn't figured she would be kissing Lucas again. After all, they had managed to spend the previous night together, albeit in separate rooms, without ratcheting up the intimacy between them. But tonight she needed comforting. Needed, after an evening spent honoring Maya, to feel like she was appreciated, too, even if for only this moment in time.

Lucas broke off the increasingly passionate kiss. "I thought this was only a platonic relationship."

"So did I." Riley threaded her fingers through his hair, went up on tiptoe and kissed him again. When she came up for air, she admitted, "I changed my mind."

That pronouncement was all it took.

Lucas lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bedroom. He deposited her gently on the bed. "If there's anything I like," he murmured, taking her back into his arms, "it's spontaneity."

Funny, Riley mused, if there was one thing she thought she didn't like, it was anything done on a whim. But as she and Lucas began kissing once again, tenderly, evocatively at first, then with more and more passion, she realized not knowing what lay ahead was infinitely more exciting than planning life every step of the way.

Discovering what an amazing body Lucas had beneath his clothes was matched only by the ardent look in his eyes when he undressed her. Feeling the heat and warmth of his body pressed against hers, allowing him to take the lead, show her how much she could feel, how fast, was equally thrilling, as was doing the same for him in return. Until at last they were one, moving recklessly toward the same ecstatic goal, soaring ever higher, ever deeper. And then there was no more holding back, no more pretending, no more living without the physical expression of love.

 **…**

 _Riley, his wife was a virgin._ Lucas hadn't meant to make love to Riley, but now that they had broken that barrier, now that he held her so close he could feel her heart beating in tandem with his, he knew it had been the right decision.

It was clear Riley needed affection and intimacy in her life, every bit as much as he did. And there was nothing that made two people feel more alive than coming together the way they just had, with passion and speed and a recklessness, heretofore unknown, to both.

Riley was the kind of person who strategized every move she made.

So was he.

But there had been nothing pre-planned about what they had just done, Lucas noted in satisfaction. Nothing calculated. Their coming together had been driven strictly by need and yearning. And Lucas liked that feeling.

He turned toward Riley, fully intending to make love to her all over again. The doorbell rang. Lucas looked at Riley, brow raised in silent inquiry.

She looked at him, the same way. "It's your apartment."

Hence, her deduction, likely his guest.

"Don't move." Lucas kissed her forehead. "I'll get rid of whoever it is."

He reached for his shorts, tugged his T–shirt over his head, exited the bedroom and headed for the foyer. Once there, he looked through the viewfinder on the door.

On the other side of the portal were the two people he least expected to see.

 **…**

Riley lay in Lucas' bed, still breathing rapidly, trying not to worry about who might be there at eleven o'clock at night. Obviously, it was someone Lucas knew. The voices drifting through the closed bedroom door sounded cordial.

"I can't believe you're both here, together," Riley heard Lucas say.

"We thought it might be more effective if we talked to you at the same time," a woman's voice said.

A man followed up. "We both agreed that we need to talk some sense into you. We want you to end this farce as soon as possible."

Riley's face burned. Not just at the fact she was lying there, eavesdropping, but because of what was being said. Figuring she had already heard enough, she leaped from the bed and rushed into the bathroom. Closing and locking the door quietly behind her, she turned on the shower and stepped beneath the spray. For the next ten minutes, she tried to wash away the ridiculously romantic feelings she had felt, earlier, when making love to Lucas. By the time she wrapped herself in the fluffy white spa robe she had left hanging on the door, Lucas was knocking on the bathroom door.

"Riley?" he said firmly through the wood. "We need to talk."

 **…**

Lucas had hoped that Riley hadn't heard any of what had been said. One look at her beautiful flushed face and averted eyes told him otherwise.

"That was my brother and sister," he told her. "They wanted to meet you, but given the reason they were here—"

"To convince us our elopement was a mistake," Riley reiterated what she had obviously overheard.

Lucas nodded reluctantly, wishing he had been able to do more to protect Riley's feelings. "I told them it wasn't the right time."

She nodded, still not looking at him as she ran a wide–toothed comb through the fragrant silk of her just–shampooed hair. "Well, this is awkward," she said with a wry shrug. "Particularly since they've never even met me."

Lucas shrugged, taking his siblings' reaction in stride. "They don't want to see us go through an ugly divorce."

Slowly, Riley lowered the comb. "Why would they presume our breakup would be unpleasant?"

If, Lucas thought, that was indeed what happened in the end.

Lucas edged even closer. His voice dropped a consoling notch. "Maybe because every divorce each of them has been through has been horrible. My brother has been married twice, my sister three times."

Shock turned to compassion. "Sorry," Riley murmured, reaching out to him. She swallowed. "I didn't know…"

Lucas shrugged at the pain the reluctant memories conjured up. "It's nothing I care to advertise." And also why he had always been so determined not to marry. He hadn't wanted to go through as an adult what he had seen his siblings suffered each time they break a relationship. He'd seen how hard it was for his nieces and nephews to adapt to a new stepparent—each with his or her own idea of how children should be brought up—he did whatever he could to live by his _own_ rules.

Riley exhaled and lounged against the bathroom counter top. She looked pretty and content, wrapped in the fluffy white robe. "No wonder you don't believe in marriage."

"I don't when two people go into a marriage with unrealistic expectations," Lucas corrected. "But when they go into it sans romance of any kind, the way you and I did…" He paused, aware that in the past few days his feelings had changed. He shrugged affably. "I'm beginning to see how it could work."

…


	5. Chapter 5

_**Thank you so much for the lovely comments and reviews. I really appreciate the feed back :) Enjoy reading!**_

 _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

 **Chapter 5**

"We may have made a mistake," Riley told Lucas the next morning, as they rushed around, simultaneously getting ready for work.

Lucas studied Riley as she stood before the bathroom mirror in a sleeveless silk shell and trim gray "lawyer" skirt. The clothes were dull—the woman inside them was not. Mesmerized, he watched as she ran a straightening iron through the thick chocolate strands of her layered long hair, swiftly transforming the delectably sexy bedhead to office chic.

Wishing they could shirk their professional obligations and concentrate only on the personal, Lucas smeared shaving cream on his jaw.

"In not deciding to take the day off?" He picked up where she left off.

Riley's gaze tracked the strokes of his razor. "In consummating our marriage," she said.

She hadn't had any complaints the second and third times they'd made love, Lucas thought. But then, that had been in the dark of night. This was the bright light of day. The time when all romantic regrets were likely to surface.

Lucas turned away from the turbulent sheen in her brown eyes and went back to shaving the day's growth from his jaw. Just because Riley had doubts didn't mean he had any. He forced himself to sound casual. "Kind of a moot point, isn't it, since what's done is done."

"I guess." Riley lounged against the bathroom counter, facing him. Her teeth raked the softness of her lower lip.

His own pulse racing, Lucas rinsed his face and blotted it on a towel. He reached for the aftershave lotion, slapped some on, never once taking his eyes from her face. Figuring he knew what was bothering her, he told her what he assumed she needed to hear. "We can keep it casual." He indicated their wedding rings with a nod. "Despite this."

"Speaking of which…" She lifted her hand using the other as a support. "I think I would need a sling."

Lucas chuckled. That, they could do something about.

 **…**

"Every bride should have a diamond," the jeweler assured Riley and Lucas, at midday.

Riley shook her head, nixing the idea as firmly as it was offered. "We were never engaged." She looked down and felt her hand become heavier. When she made a joke about the weight of the ring earlier, Riley didn't think that Lucas would invite her to lunch just so they can get a new one.

"Maybe we should have been," Lucas said. Maybe then, Lucas thought, she wouldn't be driving him crazy with lust and longing…coming close one moment, flitting away the next…

Riley pivoted in astonishment. She looked like she was warm all over, which wasn't surprising given the heat of the June day. "Really, it's not necessary."

"Perhaps," the clerk insisted smoothly, "if you were to try one on…the square cut solitaire, perhaps?"

Lucas nodded his approval. Riley sputtered in protest, but acquiesced when the ring was produced.

As lovely as it looked on her hand, it was clear Riley did not like it any more than the first one he got her.

So Lucas went with what he should have chosen instead of trying to impress her materially the first time he got her a ring. The round three–karat set in platinum with the matching, diamond–studded wedding band.

Riley caught her breath when she saw it on her hand. The pure joy on her face made his next decision easy. "We'll take it," Lucas said.

Just that quickly, her expression changed. She looked at him as if he had lost his mind. Given the fact this was a wedding of convenience, she might have had a point, Lucas allowed silently. Except for one thing. "I don't want my wife wearing a ring that needs a sling to support its' weight."

Fifteen minutes later they left the store, bands on their fingers. "If we're going to do this, we're going to do this right," Lucas said.

Riley sighed and lifted her shoulders dispiritedly, as if to say, "I guess."

Their gazes clashed a moment longer. "And speaking of spousal commitments," Lucas told her, "I've got a business dinner tonight that I'd like you to attend."

 **…**

Hours later, Riley freshened her makeup in preparation for the evening out with Lucas. She still couldn't believe what a romantic idiot she had been. For a second there, she'd deluded herself into thinking that the rings Lucas had purchased for the two of them on her lunch break meant the commitment they had made in haste was beginning to become a reality! Instead, the jewelry was just one more prop in this comedy of errors…a way to keep them from looking foolish to all those around them!

So while they had all the paraphernalia necessary to look really married, and even the lovemaking and the shared space to go along with that, in reality it was still all a sham. And now she had to go out this evening, with Lucas and one of the executive for a brand name athletic shoes to discuss endorsements, and play the dutiful wife.

Luckily for her, the first part of the dinner was dominated by talk of John Wilson's excellent management skills and Lucas' nomination of Most Valuable Player for the season.

But as soon as that deal was concluded, the talk turned to Lucas and Riley and their new marriage. "Tell me," the executive said. "When did you realize something was going on between the two of you?"

That, Riley thought, was easy. "The first time I ever saw Lucas he caught my eye," Riley said honestly.

Lucas looked intrigued. He reached over and took her hand, squeezing gently. "How so?" he asked softly.

Riley couldn't look into that gaze of his and not admit, "You were just so handsome," she said. He had such a wonderful laugh. A way of teasing anyone and everyone out of a mood and back into a happy state.

"But then," Riley continued, even more honestly, withdrawing her hand from his, "you started getting under my skin. Especially with all your talk about how marriage was no longer a viable institution!" The fact he didn't think any man and woman could make it over the long haul—when all she had ever wanted was a life with and the love of one man for the long haul—had kept her away from him.

She hadn't let herself really get close to him.

Hadn't dared think he might one day change his mind about the importance of commitment.

But now, seeing the way he was looking at her—with such love and affection, kindness and respect—it was hard not to imagine the two of them together in the days and weeks and months, maybe even years, ahead.

As if he were thinking exactly the same thing, Lucas chuckled, admitting to the executive and his wife, as well as Riley, "I admit I did bring up that topic every chance I got. I couldn't help it." Lucas turned back to Riley. "You were just so pretty when you got worked up."

The other couple chuckled while Riley recalled every hot–tempered, overly emotional argument the two of them had ever had.

"It was a little like fifth–grade recess," Riley told them.

"Until we realized there was no way around it," Lucas picked up the story where Riley left off. "She was right. And I was wrong. And the two of us were meant to be."

 **…**

"Why did you say that to the Jones?" Riley asked Lucas when they went back to her apartment, where they were set to spend the night that evening. "That I was right…?"

Lucas waggled his brows. "Because you are."

"And we were meant to be!"

Lucas wrapped his arms around Riley and drew her close. "Because it's true." He pressed a kiss on her temple. Another on her cheek. The shell of her ear, the nape of her neck…

"It isn't," Riley protested, already going weak in the knees.

"Kiss me and tell me that again and I'll believe you," Lucas dared, his lips lowering to hers.

Riley tried to formulate an argument. Heaven knew, as a practicing attorney, she ought to have half a dozen ready to go, on any subject, at any time. But when Lucas drew her close and electricity arced through her entire body, all she could think about was touching her lips to his once again. A thrill shot through her at the taste and touch and feel of him, making it impossible to heed the warnings her intellect was sending out when all she wanted to do was give in to the demands of her heart and heed the siren call deep inside her.

Because, she realized, as they tumbled onto her bed, the truth was that she was falling in love with him. Had been for what seemed like forever. And now that they were married, now that they were living together and making love, she could no longer pretend she didn't want to entwine their lives. Or find a way to make this union of theirs last and last and last…


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Lucas knew this was nothing but a game of make–believe to Riley. It had started out as a lark to him, too. But now, being here with her, like this—being with her anywhere—was all he wanted. Riley had shown him how right the two of them were and how satisfying marriage could be. She made him want to dig deeper into his soul. She brought out the kindness buried deep inside him and encouraged him to want more out of life than success. Left him needing and wanting her, as his partner and soul mate—not just until the time they could reasonably divorce—but for the rest of their lives.

Now, Lucas thought in satisfaction, as they brought their bodies together as one, all he had to do was convince her that a long and happy life together was what she wanted, too.

 **…**

Lucas wasn't sure what he expected of Maya and Zay's wedding rehearsal late Friday afternoon. Certainly not the advice he got every time he turned around in the century–old St. Patrick cathedral.

"Riley should have had all this, too," her mother, Topanga, whispered in an aside.

"I don't care how much of a hurry you two were in. You cheated Riley, depriving her of all this," Maya pouted.

"You blew it, son," his father–in–law, Cory, said with a paternal slap on the shoulder.

A week before, Lucas would have said they were all wrong. But this afternoon, watching Riley march up the aisle in advance of Maya, paper bouquet in hand, Lucas knew there was something to that declaration.

Riley might present herself as a woman who was practical in the extreme, but deep down she was as romantic as all get–out. And it was up to him to figure out what to do about it.

 **…**

Riley knew she was getting weird looks. She even knew why.

After weeks of not caring less, or at least telling herself she couldn't have cared less, the importance of this weekend had finally hit her.

Her best friend—her honorary sister!—was getting married. When the ceremony tomorrow evening concluded, Maya would no longer be an integral part of the family they had both grown up in. She would instead be the female head of a family of her own.

Sure, Maya and Zay would be around for holidays. Even more frequently if Zay kept playing baseball for the Yankees. But they would also be with his relatives, and on adventures of their own.

And Riley realized that most poignantly of all when the wedding party moved from the church to the restaurant for dinner and watched the video of Maya's childhood, put together by her parents.

There were Maya and Riley. Maya teaching Riley how to paint purple cats. Maya and Riley playing in a wading pool. Maya teaching Riley how to make a mean face. The two of them roller–skating at the local rink, with Maya catching Riley every time she fell down. Maya trying to teach an unwilling Riley how to punch someone without breaking her own fingers.

And then Riley, cheering Maya onstage, as she received her very first award for painting a portrait.

Memories.

So many memories, Riley thought wistfully.

All of them good.

And that was why it was such a shock, after the video ended, when Riley, near bawling, had escaped to the ladies' room on another floor of the restaurant to pull herself together. And saw the last thing she had ever wanted to see.

 **…**

"It wasn't what it looked like." Zay blocked Riley's exit from the alcove outside the restrooms.

With effort, Riley quelled the urge to deck her best friend's future husband. "You patting a woman on the butt seemed pretty clear to me."

"She's an old friend." Zay shrugged.

Riley smirked. "I'll bet."

Zay tried again. "I was drunk."

"That was just seconds ago and you seem pretty clearheaded now."

"You can't tell Maya," Zay reiterated, with a threatening stare.

Lucas rounded the corner. Took one look. Scowled and shoved Zay aside. "What the hell is going on here?" Lucas demanded of the groom.

Zay stared at Riley another long, telling moment. Then turned back to Lucas. "She's your wife. You're the best man. You handle her." Zay stormed off.

Lucas' eyes radiated concern. "Did he make a pass at you?"

The question stunned her. Riley's anger quickly found a new target. "You know he does that?" she asked in astonishment.

Lucas scowled. "I know he did before he got engaged to Maya."

"You approve of it?"

Lucas tensed, torn, it seemed, between his allegiance to a guy he had known since they were kids, and Riley. "I try not to judge," Lucas said finally.

Right. Riley folded her arms in front of her militantly. "Meaning you look the other way."

"Meaning it's none of my business," Lucas reiterated curtly. "At least it hasn't been. And you didn't answer my question. _Did_ Zay make a pass at you?"

Lucas looked ready to deck Zay if that were true.

Riley inhaled deeply. Feeling partly reassured, she shook her head. "No."

Lucas relaxed, too. He took her hand. "Your parents sent me up to find you. Tomorrow's a big day. They're about ready to end the party and call it a night. They want you to be there with them when they do."

Her feelings still in turmoil, but not wanting to cause her best friend any more pain, Riley clasped Lucas' hand tightly. "I'm ready to go home, too," she said.

 **…**

Lucas would have known there was something wrong on the ride back to Riley's apartment where they were staying the night, even if he hadn't seen Aidan intimidating her outside the restrooms. She was far too quiet. Almost hauntingly sad.

They walked in.

Riley kicked off the high–heeled sandals.

Looking exquisitely pretty in a flowered sundress with a ribbon sash that Maya had picked out for her to wear that evening, Riley flounced down on the sofa.

Lucas opened a bottle of champagne and filled two flutes. "I was saving this for tomorrow evening, but it seems like we need it tonight."

She let him press the glass in her hand, but did not take a sip. "I'm really not in the mood for celebrating."

"Is it because your best friend is getting married tomorrow?" Lucas asked gently.

Tears appeared in the corners of Riley's eyes. "I know it seems like the two of us don't get along. And in recent months, I guess we really haven't, but I do love Maya, Lucas. So very much." Riley's voice broke. Her lips trembled and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I know." Lucas set both glasses aside. He lifted Riley onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "I get this wedding is emotional for you."

Riley buried her face in his shoulder. Her slender body shook with sobs. "I want her to be happy. I do!" she sobbed.

Whether that would be possible married to Zay, Lucas didn't know. The bighearted kid Lucas had grown up with had morphed into a baseball star with an air of entitlement and ego the size of his fame, to the detriment of the character and values Lucas' old friend had once had. "And I want you to be happy," Lucas said, stroking his hands through Riley's hair.

"Then hold me," Riley whispered, already loosening his tie. "And make love to me. And make everything all right."

 **…**

Lucas did his best. And while the sex was certainly as satisfying as ever that night, there was clearly something wrong.

Riley didn't sleep.

Any time they weren't actively enjoying themselves, she seemed a million miles away.

He awakened to find her, not in his arms, but sitting on the window seat in a sleeveless nightgown, her knees drawn up to her chest.

Once again, it looked like she had been crying.

Lucas reached for his boxer–briefs, and slid them on. He joined her on the window seat.

"I know as your husband I can't command you to do anything, but I sure wish you would tell me what's going on," he coaxed gently.

Finally, Riley did. "I saw Zay with his hand on a woman's butt last night. He was clearly propositioning her. I think she might have said yes."

Many words went through Lucas' mind. None could be said in polite company and knowing Riley she wouldn't be pleased to hear them. Finally, he asked, "Do you think Maya knows?"

Looking more miserable than ever, Riley shook her head. "Maya thinks Zay has been faithful since the day they met. She wouldn't… There's no way she would be with someone who didn't worship her and the ground she walked on."

Lucas covered her hand with his. "So what are you going to do?"

Riley shrugged. She wiped away a new flood of tears with the back of her hand. "What can I do?" she sniffed.

"Tell her what you saw."

Riley shut her eyes as if in pain. "It would ruin this day."

"Better that than the rest of her life," Lucas ventured.

Riley exhaled and lifted her gaze to his. "The thing is, I don't think Maya would believe me, not without some kind of proof, and I don't have any."

Lucas paused. "Any idea who the woman was?"

"None. Not that it matters. If that woman has designs on Zay, there is no way she would betray him."


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello, hello lovely readers. Thank you again for the reviews and comments, as always it's greatly appreciated. We're at chapter 7 already which means the story is almost done. I know, I know...why? Don't worry RUCAS fans I already have another story lined up. Like I always say, I love to balance things out. Too many Maya/Lucas stories out there and just doesn't seem right not to write more for this cutesy couple. But since I've written over ten stories I'm starting to run out of ides so please throw some my way. C'mon RUCAS lovers out there whatcha got?_

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

 **Chapter 7**

Lucas met up with Zay at the church and quickly brought him up to speed. "You have to tell Maya the truth," Lucas said. "And promise her it won't happen again."

Zay looked at Lucas. "Are you my best man or worst enemy? 'Cause I have to tell you, I don't recognize you right now. Besides, what happened to your old mantra, 'So many women, so little time'?"

The mantra had been a joke, designed to keep any female who was serious away from him. "You know I was never really like that," Lucas said.

"Yeah, I know. But, I have to tell you bro I've snagged some pretty fantastic—"

Lucas didn't know what happened; he hasn't decked anyone in a long time. One minute he was just standing there. The next he had the famous athlete flat on his behind, sliding across the vestibule floor. Lucas grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him to his feet. "I swear to all that's holy. You hurt Maya or anyone she cares about again and you will answer to me." Lucas let go and stepped back.

Zay dusted himself off and glared at Lucas like the self–involved stranger he had become. "What the hell man! If you weren't my best friend in the entire world I would deck you back." Zay growled.

"And if you weren't mine you would have gotten more," Lucas shot back. "What the hell is wrong with you? I've seen the changes in you, but this? This is a whole new level of bull shit even for you. You finally found a woman who wants to spend the rest of her life with you and you choose this time to screw around?

"You wouldn't understand…" Zay muttered. "Not everyone is as lucky as you Lucas. Not everyman finds the perfect woman for them"

Zay's dark eyes glittered and Lucas nodded for him to proceed.

"Maya doesn't love me. Not really. Sure we have fun together but that's not enough is it?"

Lucas' eyes narrowed as if he couldn't understand what his friend was telling him. "Do you love Maya?"

 **…**

"You're not supposed to be in here!" Maya chided Lucas short minutes later.

Lucas shrugged off the chiding and made his way to his wife. It was clear Riley hadn't said a thing. Maya and every other female in the wedding party looked ecstatic. Riley looked as if she were trying to feign wild happiness while secretly miserable.

"But maybe you can cheer her up," Maya hoped aloud.

Riley enveloped Lucas in a hug. Standing on tiptoe, she whispered in his ear, "I didn't and you can't."

"I know," Lucas whispered back. "That's something Maya has to discover on her own."

Riley nodded, still looking upset.

Lucas set a phone down on the closest table.

No sooner had he done so, than it went off again. Thanks to Lucas, the ringer had been set to loud. The obnoxious ring tone filled the room.

Maya frowned. "What's Zay's phone doing in here?" She rushed to pick it up. Then paled as she read the text aloud, "'I want to…'" Maya looked around. "Is this some sort of a joke?" she asked to no one in particular.

"Give me that." Riley dived for the phone.

Maya held tight and kept scrolling. "I want everyone to leave except Riley and Lucas."

"Honey," Katy Hart implored.

"I mean it, Mom! Take all the bridesmaids and Zay's mom and just go."

The women filtered out of the room.

Maya stared at Lucas, a fairy princess about to explode. "Is this for real?" she repeated again.

Lucas ignored the shock and ambivalence in Riley's expression. "It's his phone."

"The messages," Maya stipulated.

Lucas ignored Riley's pleading glance. He looked into her friend's eyes. "As far as I know, yes."

"Okay," Maya said to Lucas, pointing to the door. "You need to get out, too."

Riley caught Lucas' sleeve as he passed. Once again her eyes were filled with tears of relief and fury. "I can't believe you just did that," she hissed.

"You'll both thank me later," Lucas predicted, and prayed that was the case.

 **…**

Maya collapsed on the nearest chair, no longer caring what the action might do to her silk skirt and train. As she looked Riley in the eye, what little remained of the months of estrangement disappeared. Once again they were best friends, sisters, in heart and soul. "Obviously," Maya deduced, "you knew."

Riley swallowed, aware the only thing she could do now was tell the truth—and let the chips fall where they may as Maya made what was arguably the most important decision of her life.

"Only since last night," Riley admitted quietly, realizing belatedly that Lucas had been right to do what he had. Neither of them could have lived with themselves had they covered for Zay and kept the truth from Maya.

Maya passed a weary hand over her eyes. "You saw his texts?"

"I saw him with his hand on another woman's butt." Briefly, Riley explained.

"And didn't tell me," Maya accused, betrayed.

"I wanted to…but…you had already accused me once of trying to ruin your wedding…and I didn't have any proof. Not like that." Riley pointed to the phone.

Maya leaped up and began to pace. "So you chickened out."

"Yes," Riley admitted, ashamed. She struggled not to cry.

Maya swung around, heavy skirts swishing. "So now what am I supposed to do?"

Maya fingered the elaborate bouquet in her hands. Outside, they could hear the music starting. She studied her gigantic diamond ring.

Maya's mom popped her head in.

Maya held up a hand.

Her mom popped right back out.

Maya looked at Riley. "Tell me what you think," she insisted quietly, for once—maybe for the first time in months—looking as if she really needed her best friend's advice.

"Maya, why are you so calm? I expected you'd be storming out of here and screaming to speak to Zay."

"I don't know. Maybe it hasn't really sink in?" Maya replied.

Riley knew a lot was resting on her answer so she gathered her courage and spoke from the heart. "I think you deserve better. We both do. A week ago I might not have known this, but I do now. True love is worth waiting for."

Maya looked sad for herself, happy for Riley. "Are you saying…?"

"Yes. I'm in love with Lucas." So in love, in fact, Riley was willing to stay married to him even if he didn't ever love her back. "You know why you're taking this whole cheating calmly?"

"Tell me why," Maya ordered with a bump in the sarcasm and a raised brow.

"Because you don't really love Zay." Riley bit her bottom lip.

"Of course I do!"

"No you don't. Not the way you should be anyways. I know you Maya. When you're with Zay you act differently. If you truly love him, you would be showing him the _real_ Maya. The Maya that's funny, tough, beautiful and caring. I can't tell you what to do. I could but I won't. I love you and whatever you decide on I will be here for you."

 **…**

"We can't let everything go to waste!" Katy said, after Maya had told her fiancé it was over, marched into the chapel, made the announcement and marched right back out. "The flowers, the food, the dinner, the band, the limo—everything has been paid for!"

"It doesn't have to go unused," Maya said, looking more serene than she had in months, now that the decision had been made. "Lucas and Riley can take our place!"

Riley gasped. This was the wedding of a lifetime. "I couldn't," she protested, hand to her heart.

With the generosity and love she'd shown Riley when they were kids, Maya said, "Sure you can. We just need to get you a dress. I'll swap dresses with you if I could." Maya grinned.

Looking surprised, but nonetheless cooperative, Lucas shrugged. "I'm willing," he announced.

"Well, I'm not!" Riley folded her arms in front of her.

Jaws dropped. Riley's mom looked like she might faint. Cory looked annoyed beyond words.

"Give us a moment," Lucas said to everyone.

In relief, everyone filtered out of the anteroom.

Lucas held out his hands to Riley. "You deserve the wedding of your dreams."

Riley couldn't argue that. Still… She looked at Lucas, determined to be as honest with him as she had just been with Maya. "This was Maya's dream. Besides, it's in a church, before God and all that, and I don't think I—it's not—in this case," Riley stammered, "a civil ceremony would be better."

Lucas looked at Riley, as always seeing so much more of what she was feeling than she would have wished. "Mind telling me why?" he asked finally.

Total honesty, it seemed, was the guiding principle of the day. Riley inhaled deeply, marshaled all her courage and looked Lucas straight in the eye. "Because you don't love me," she said quietly, "and I don't want you pretending that you do."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Lucas stared at Riley, hardly able to believe what he had just heard. "I don't love you?" he echoed in stunned disbelief.

"Shhh!" Riley pressed her finger to his lips, as aware as Lucas that others might very well be listening outside the door. "You don't have to speak so loudly!" she chided.

"Apparently, I do," Lucas stated, more determined than ever to make her understand. "Because I do love you, Riley, with all my heart!"

Riley's face lit up with a glow that came from deep within. She looked deep into his eyes. "You mean that," she noted softly, happily.

Lucas gathered her in his arms for a long, soulful kiss. "I do."

A contented silence fell. Lucas knew what they would have done next, had they been alone. But they were in a church, with a chapel still full of everyone who had shown up on the bride's side.

The groom's guests had, at his behest, already departed.

"I understand if you want to turn Maya down on her offer to take her place, and go back to square one, do the whole courtship and proposal thing from the very beginning, and plan your very own wedding," Lucas said.

Riley held up a staying hand. "Actually, now that you mention it, the answer to that is no. I've always been practical and to tell you the truth, planning a wedding like this one is nothing but one giant headache, from my point of view. Selecting the flowers and the caterers and the invitations and the band, it just takes forever, and I don't want to waste that time. Not when I could already be still married—"

"Really married this time," Lucas clarified.

Riley smiled. "—to you."

Lucas gathered her slender body closer yet. "So?"

Riley took a deep, enervating breath. "I'm willing if you are."

No question there. "I am."

 **…**

It took another hour and fifteen minutes to get her a wedding gown, and Lucas' very surprised but willing parents and siblings to the chapel, as well. There was also the little matter of talking to the minister and agreeing to do their prenuptial counseling sessions after the fact.

But once that was all accomplished, with Lucas' older brother standing in as best man, the wedding march sounded, and Riley glided down the aisle on her father's arm, the way she had always secretly wanted.

Lucas was standing at the altar, all the love she had ever wanted in his eyes. She approached him, all the love she had ever wanted in her heart.

"We are gathered here today to witness the union of Lucas Friar and Riley Matthews," the minister began. "Although the two of them are already married in the eyes of the law, they've also asked to be married in the church."

And thus, the ceremony that would tie them to each other for the rest of their lives began.

…

"Have I told you what a beautiful bride you make?" Lucas murmured in Riley's ear, as they took the floor for the bride and groom's first dance together as husband and wife.

Riley flirted back, "In my ready-made dress."

Lucas kissed the top of her head. "In any dress."

Riley exhaled in contentment and snuggled closer in Lucas' warm embrace as they swayed to the beat of "I'm Gonna Love You Like I'm Gonna Lose You."

Lucas' grip tightened possessively and Riley cast a look at her best friend, who was gamely cheering them on. "I just wish things had turned out better for Maya," Riley murmured.

"They will," Lucas assured Riley. "Maya will find someone who won't keep his hands off her, just like I can't seem to keep my hands off you. This is the only respectable way I can do that right now," he said.

Riley looked over his shoulder.

"I think they want us to kiss again," she said.

"Let's not disappoint." He kissed her as he spun her in a circle.

Riley put her arms around his neck and held on tight.

This time around, they'd be holding on forever.

 **The End**

 **xxxxxxxx**

 _Another short story completed. Thank you so much for reading and liking this story. Of course, a special thank you to those who didn't just read the story but also took time in commenting and reviewing which inspires me to write more stories._

 ** _Below is a preview of my next story:_**

As the bride began her walk down the long aisle of the old cathedral, Riley watched from the door. The huge church was almost filled to capacity.

Riley's gaze moved to the groom. His eyes were for the bride only. She smiled again. This was going to be perfect. Her gaze drifted around the standing congregation. One man, near the front on the groom's side, stood taller than the people surrounding him. He turned his head and his gaze locked with hers. For a moment Riley's heart stopped. It couldn't be! She felt the church spin around her. It was a coincidence, someone who looked like _him_. He couldn't be here. He's somewhere expanding their family business and making millions in the process.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Thank you. Thank you. You guys are the best!_**

 _Because I like you guys so much and you've been amazing...I think you deserve a better ending for Only Fools Rush In. Enjoy!_

 ** _xxxxxxxx_**

 _One year later…_

"Hurry up!" Riley called from the top of the stairs.

Maya opened the door to her bedroom and stepped out. She was dressed in a breathtakingly simple Monique Lhuillier wedding dress. A real diamond tiara was threaded through her exquisitely upswept hair.

Riley caught her breath. As always, her friend's beauty was astounding. Happiness radiated from Maya. "You are without a doubt the most stunning bride I have ever seen," Riley told Maya.

Maya clutched the bouquet she would carry in the formal gardens, where she was to be married. This time, Riley amended silently to herself, to a man who loved Maya as much as she deserved to be loved, and whom Maya loved equally in return. Riley couldn't be happier for Maya and Zay.

Getting punched by Lucas helped jogged Zay's jumbled brain into place and Maya getting cheated on woke her up and started acting like her old self to which Zay liked more than the pretend Maya.

"You mean that, don't you?" Maya smiled.

Glad the last twelve months had reinstated the closeness the two had felt in their youth, Riley nodded. "I do, but if we don't hur—" Riley paused, put her hand to her midriff and caught her breath.

"What?" Panicked, Maya came closer. "Nothing's wrong, is it?"

Tears gathered in Riley's eyes. She took her Maya's hand and put it on her waist. "Only very right."

Recognition lit Maya's face. "Is this…?"

"The first time." Riley could barely contain her excitement. "Yes."

Maya went to the stairwell. "Lucas! Get up here now!" she yelled.

Riley protested. "We'll be late." And there was no guarantee it would happen again!

"I don't care!" Maya said, laughing and pushing her own needs aside, as she teased merrily, "If you're upstaging me anywhere, missy, it's here!"

Lucas dashed up. He looked as alarmed as Maya's hasty summons commanded. "What?" Lucas demanded, coming to a rest at Riley's side.

Maya took Lucas' hand and fit it into Riley's. "She'll explain," Maya promised with a wink. To Riley, she added, "I was going to say, 'Don't take too long!' But what the heck—take all the time you need." Maya winked. "The important moments in life only come once. Right?" Maya kissed Riley's cheek and, being very careful of the fabric of her dress, headed down the stairs.

"What was that all about?" Lucas demanded, perplexed.

Riley felt it again. "This." She took Lucas' hand and put it across her softly rounded belly. And there it was again, as if on cue, the tiniest kick, followed by another.

Lucas' gaze widened. "Is that…?"

Riley nodded, a joy unlike any she had ever felt coming over her. "Your son and daughter. Our babies. It is."

"Wow," Lucas said, waiting once again. "They're happy. Hello there my little prince and princess."

The babies kicked once more, then fell silent.

From the curb, they heard the limo honking.

"We better get going!" Riley said.

"Not before this," Lucas said. He took her in his arms and kissed her once again, thoroughly and sweetly.

Breathlessly, they drew apart. "I love you," Lucas said, "with all my heart."

Riley looked deep into his eyes and kissed him back. "I love you, too," she said softly. "So very much."

The horn sounded again, longer, louder this time.

Lucas and Riley laughed.

"Maya can be patient, but only for so long!" Riley warned.

"Then let's get going, so we can all live happily ever after!" Lucas said.

And they did.

 _ **THE END**_


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